Underwood, Ammon, House
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Why it's listed
Built in 1835 by Alabama lawyer Thomas W. Nibbs, this East Columbia house began as a two-room frame dwelling. Ammon Underwood, a Massachusetts native who reached Texas in 1834, bought it with Catherine Carson and turned it into a two-story boarding house. After he married her daughter Rachel in 1839 it became the family home, and he lived there until his death in 1887. Underwood ran a mercantile business, served as postmaster, operated cotton plantations, and was elected to the 19th Texas Legislature. The house is a modest vernacular version of Greek Revival, with a center passage, wood siding, a side-gabled roof and a two-tiered porch. Erosion of the Brazos River bank forced the house to be moved several times on its lot, including in the 1860s and 1937. The First Capitol Historical Foundation acquired it in 1968 and opened it as a museum of early Texas life. In 2005 a relocation a few lots north, away from the river, was proposed.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to Texas pioneer and legislator Ammon Underwood, who lived there for about 50 years, and is one of the oldest houses in Brazoria County. A reviewer also describes it as a significant early example of Anglo pioneer architecture in Texas and one of few buildings remaining from Austin's first settlement.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 76002011, listed June 24, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Main St., East Columbia |
|---|---|
| County | Brazoria County |
| Listed | June 24, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76002011 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Thomas W. Nibbs (original builder, 1835) |
| Architectural style | Vernacular interpretation of Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Agriculture, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operated as a museum by the First Capitol Historical Foundation. In 2005 a move was proposed to a nearby site because Brazos River erosion threatened the house. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 29.13913, -95.61768 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 76002011.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q38251942
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.